Here's what British Columbians voted to name the new PNE amphitheatre
A rendering for the new PNE amphitheatre is shown. (PNE)
As voted by British Columbians, the name of the under-construction outdoor amphitheatre at the PNE was revealed Saturday.
The PNE announced in May that Freedom Mobile had bought the naming rights to the new venue, which will replace the now-demolished amphitheatre that had stood in Hastings Park since the 1960s.
Members of the public were asked to vote in a poll on the PNE’s website for which word they think should come after the “Freedom Mobile” in the facility’s name. The four options were Freedom Mobile Amp, Freedom Mobile Arch, Freedom Mobile Rise and Freedom Mobile Place.
Receiving more than double the votes of the other names combined, according to PNE president and CEO Shelley Frost, the amphitheatre’s official name is now Freedom Mobile Arch.
“When it opens in 2026, the Freedom Mobile Arch will be the home of incredible experiences and arguably be one of the most beautiful outdoor amphitheatre stages in North America,” she said in a media release Saturday.
The name is a nod to the venue’s feature element, a clear-span wooden roof that the PNE says will be one of the longest in the world.
“Thank you to everyone who responded to our invitation and voted for their favourite name. We hope that the Freedom Mobile Arch will become an iconic landmark in Vancouver and B.C.,” said Jean B. Péladeau, senior vice president and chief marketing officer of Freedom Mobile in the release.
In addition to sponsoring the amphitheatre, the 12-year agreement between the PNE and the telecom company includes a “partnership” on other events like the summer fair and Fright Nights, according to the PNE.
Construction on the new venue is budgeted at $103.7 million, a total that was revised upwards from the initial budget of $64.8 million last year.
The vast majority of the cost will be funded by loans from the City of Vancouver to the PNE, which are expected to be paid back over an 11-year period with revenue generated by the venue – including through selling sponsorship rights.
This year’s fair at the PNE kicked off on Saturday, and the summer concert series is being held in the Pacific Coliseum.
With files from CTV News Vancouver’s Ian Holliday
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